It’s a somewhat common sight: a dog leashed outside of a store, waiting patiently for its person. It could be assumed that most who park their dogs on a public sidewalk prize their pups highly and are just using an errand as an opportunity to take the dog outside (or vice versa). Yet, there is a risk involved in placing anything of value in a public place unattended.
It is out of the ordinary for a dog to be taken. Moreover, if one is taken then there are usually cameras about to catch the act, like that which recorded the July 12th abduction of the Pomeranian, Suki, from Khim’s Millenium on North 11th Street and Driggs Avenue. Once the news hit the local media, it only took 2 days for Suki to be returned to the dog sitter/roommate who had tied the pooch to the front of the store at around 4 am before going inside to purchase some chocolate.
Pet advocates say it is unwise to leave a dog unattended, and to be especially wary if the dog is a pure breed as those are most attractive to dog thieves. Other protections are to have your pet microchipped so they could be tracked and to check the references of pet sitters.
In this case the Suki story had a happy ending most likely due to the efforts that got the word out and the media attention it received.
The Greenline 